Greetings Commanders,
If you use TARGET Script to enhance the functionality of your Thrustmaster HOTAS, sooner or later you may want to add some form of state tracking.
The best way that I know of for your HOTAS to "know" what's happening within the game is via reading the status.json file within the journal folder and decoding the various key/values within.
One of those keys is 'Flags'. 'Flags' is a binary coded integer which represents 32 different states of various ship systems.
(Refer to section 14 in latest Journal Docs for more information - http://hosting.zaonce.net/community/journal/v37/Journal_Manual_v37.pdf)
This post will give a working example of;
1 - How to read status.json
2 - How to grab the 'Flags' key value
3 - How to process 'Flags' and assign each of the 32 bits to individual Flag variables to use in your scripts
4 - A sample function to show how to use the variables exposed by #3
5 - A simple Mapkey to show the above in action
Even though this example only uses 4-5 of the Flag variables, for sake of completeness, I have included every Flag mask and every individual Flag variable for every bit represented in the Flags key value. (you're welcome!)
Flag masks are courtesy of @Robert Maynard (thanks Robert...now you know what I did with them!)
Disclaimer: No warranties are implied or granted with this code...it is offered as-is, where-is.
Step 1: Create a new text document in the same place as your current TARGET Script...call it ED_StatusJson.tmh
Step 2: Cut and paste the following into it...
a) - Find the line which contains 'alias StatusFile' and replace <username> with your Windows username and make sure the file path is correct.
If you are unsure of your username, first, find status.json on disk, then click the address bar...it should display the entire path to use.
b) - I use 'L' in game to toggle landing gear. If you use something different, find the following line inside the tgLandingGear() function...
...and replace 'L' with what you have bound in game.
Example if you have bound 'Joy 23', the statement will be...
Step 3: - Open your current TARGET Script (usually "main.tmc") and
a) - directly underneath any "include" statements near the top of your script, add...
b) - 'MapKey' any unused switch or button as follows...
(I'm using the Flaps switch on my WARTHOG Throttle for this example)
Step 4: Save, Compile, Run ... fix any errors encountered, then repeat this step until no errors.
Step 5: Fire up Elite and Test
There are comments within the code to explain what each section or statement is doing.
That said, if you have any questions or suggestions etc...do let me know.
Have fun.
Cheers
Clicker
p.s. @johntarr ... you asked for it!
If you use TARGET Script to enhance the functionality of your Thrustmaster HOTAS, sooner or later you may want to add some form of state tracking.
The best way that I know of for your HOTAS to "know" what's happening within the game is via reading the status.json file within the journal folder and decoding the various key/values within.
One of those keys is 'Flags'. 'Flags' is a binary coded integer which represents 32 different states of various ship systems.
(Refer to section 14 in latest Journal Docs for more information - http://hosting.zaonce.net/community/journal/v37/Journal_Manual_v37.pdf)
This post will give a working example of;
1 - How to read status.json
2 - How to grab the 'Flags' key value
3 - How to process 'Flags' and assign each of the 32 bits to individual Flag variables to use in your scripts
4 - A sample function to show how to use the variables exposed by #3
5 - A simple Mapkey to show the above in action
Even though this example only uses 4-5 of the Flag variables, for sake of completeness, I have included every Flag mask and every individual Flag variable for every bit represented in the Flags key value. (you're welcome!)
Flag masks are courtesy of @Robert Maynard (thanks Robert...now you know what I did with them!)
Disclaimer: No warranties are implied or granted with this code...it is offered as-is, where-is.
Step 1: Create a new text document in the same place as your current TARGET Script...call it ED_StatusJson.tmh
Step 2: Cut and paste the following into it...
Code:
// File: ED_StatusJson.tmh
// Author: CMDR Clicker
//------------------//
// GLOBAL VARIABLES //
//------------------//
char myJson; // Char array to store status.json
//------------------//
// Flag Variables //
//------------------//
// Refer to section 13 in latest Journal Docs for more information - http://hosting.zaonce.net/community/journal/v34/Journal_Manual_v34.pdf
// Use these after calling fnProcessFlags() in your functions...
// They're global so can be accessed anywhere in your script
int fDocked;
int fLanded;
int fLandingGear;
int fShieldsUp;
int fSupercruise;
int fFAOff;
int fHardpoints;
int fInWing;
int fLights;
int fCargoScoop;
int fSilentRunning;
int fFuelScoop;
int fSRVHandbrake;
int fSRVTurretView;
int fSRVTurretRetracted;
int fSRVDriveAssist;
int fMassLocked;
int fFSDCharging;
int fFSDCooldown;
int fLowFuel;
int fOverHeating;
int fLatLong;
int fDanger;
int fInterdicted;
int fMainShip;
int fFighter;
int fSRV;
int fHUDAnalysis;
int fNightVision;
int fAltFromAvgRad;
int fsdJump;
int fSRVHiBeam;
// End of Global Variable declarations
// ===============================================================
// FUNCTION: Read status.json into 'myJson'
// Requires: 'StatusFile' alias must be set correctly
int fnReadStatusJson() {
// Set the 'alias' below to point to the Elite Dangerous journal folder / status.json file
// The below path is usually where the Elite Dangerous journal file can be found.
// Just replace '<username>' with your windows username.
alias StatusFile = "C:\\Users\\<username>\\Saved Games\\Frontier Developments\\Elite Dangerous\\status.json";
int fp; // General purpose file handle
int buf = 512; // Buffer variable. status.json can get lengthy, so assign a buffer of at least 512
int myResult; // General pupose 'result' variable
Dim(&myJson, buf); // Dimension our character array to size of buffer
myJson[0] = 0; // Best always to zero out the array before use
fp = fopen(&StatusFile, "r"); // Open status.json for reading
if (fp) { // If we succeed in opening...
myResult = fread(&myJson, 1, buf, fp); // ...read the entire file into our character array (myJson)...
fclose(fp); // ... and close the file
if (myResult == 0) { // 'myResult' should contain the number of characters read...
printf("File Read Error: status.json\x0a"); // ...so, if we read zero, we had an issue
}
else {
strdel(&myJson, myResult-1, buf); // If no issues with read, remove any trailing garbage
}
}
else {
printf("Status.json access error.\x0a"); // File not found OR locked by Elite Dangerous
}
}
// END of fnReadStatusJson()
// ===============================================================
// FUNCTION: Read and process "Flags" value from "status.json"
int fnProcessFlags() {
// Declare all required local variables
int Flags = 0; // contains the Flags key value integer.
int EndValue = 0; // Catch when we get to a space or comma
int myResult; // Temporary general purpose variable to capture results of file and string operations
int chrpnt; // Pointer to current character in string
char thischr; // Contains current character read during string search
Dim(&thischr, 2);
thischr[0] = 0;
char keyvalue; // Contains our Key Value when complete
Dim(&keyvalue, 16); // arbitrary size. Currently Flags integer value does not exceed 11 digits
keyvalue[0] = 0;
// Flags Value MASKS //
int ED_Docked = 0x0000000000000001;
int ED_Landed = 0x0000000000000002;
int ED_LandingGearDown = 0x0000000000000004;
int ED_ShieldsUp = 0x0000000000000008;
int ED_Supercruise = 0x0000000000000010;
int ED_FlightAssistOff = 0x0000000000000020;
int ED_HardpointsDeployed = 0x0000000000000040;
int ED_InWing = 0x0000000000000080;
int ED_LightsOn = 0x0000000000000100;
int ED_CargoScoopDeployed = 0x0000000000000200;
int ED_SilentRunning = 0x0000000000000400;
int ED_ScoopingFuel = 0x0000000000000800;
int ED_SRVHandbrake = 0x0000000000001000;
int ED_SRVTurret = 0x0000000000002000;
int ED_SRVTurretRetracted = 0x0000000000004000;
int ED_SRVDriveAssist = 0x0000000000008000;
int ED_FSDMassLocked = 0x0000000000010000;
int ED_FSDCharging = 0x0000000000020000;
int ED_FSDCooldown = 0x0000000000040000;
int ED_LowFuel = 0x0000000000080000;
int ED_OverHeating = 0x0000000000100000;
int ED_HasLatLong = 0x0000000000200000;
int ED_IsInDanger = 0x0000000000400000;
int ED_BeingInterdicted = 0x0000000000800000;
int ED_InMainShip = 0x0000000001000000;
int ED_InFighter = 0x0000000002000000;
int ED_InSRV = 0x0000000004000000;
int ED_HudInAnalysisMode = 0x0000000008000000;
int ED_NightVision = 0x0000000010000000;
int ED_AltFromAvgRad = 0x0000000020000000;
int ED_FSDJump = 0x0000000040000000;
int ED_SRVHiBeam = 0x0000000080000000;
// -- End of Variable declarations --
fnReadStatusJson(); // Get latest status.json
int Start = 64; // Flags key value always starts at char# 64 in status.json
// Flags key value always ends in a space if zero, else comma character
chrpnt = 0; // Reset character pointer
while (EndValue == 0) { // Start loop...
strsub(&thischr, &myJson, Start+chrpnt, Start+chrpnt); // Grab next character in 'myJson' and put it into 'thischr'
myResult = strcmp(&thischr, " ");
if (myResult == 0) EndValue = 1; // End loop when we find a space
myResult = strcmp(&thischr, ",");
if (myResult == 0) EndValue = 1; // End loop when we find a comma
if (EndValue == 0) strcat(&keyvalue, &thischr); // Otherwise, update keyvalue...
chrpnt = chrpnt + 1; // ...Update character pointer, and loop
}
Flags = ieval(&keyvalue); // Convert string to integer when we finished the loop
printf("Flags Integer = %d\x0a", Flags); // print the Flags integer value to the console
// TARGET uses 32 bit signed precision for its integers.
// Flags values larger than 2147483648 wrap around to negative
// number and means that bit 31 (fSRVHiBeam) is set.
if (Flags != 0) { // If Flags == 0, it means the game has not started yet...
// ... otherwise, test for bit 31 first, like so...
if (Flags < 0) {
fSRVHiBeam = 1;
}
else {
fSRVHiBeam = 0;
}
// ...then assign the rest of the 'Flags' values using 'bitwise and' between Flags and a mask for each variable, like so...
fsdJump = ((Flags & ED_FSDJump) > 0);
fAltFromAvgRad = ((Flags & ED_AltFromAvgRad) > 0);
fNightVision = ((Flags & ED_NightVision) > 0);
fHUDAnalysis = ((Flags & ED_HudInAnalysisMode) > 0);
fSRV = ((Flags & ED_InSRV) > 0);
fFighter = ((Flags & ED_InFighter) > 0);
fMainShip = ((Flags & ED_InMainShip) > 0);
fInterdicted = ((Flags & ED_BeingInterdicted) > 0);
fDanger = ((Flags & ED_IsInDanger) > 0);
fLatLong = ((Flags & ED_HasLatLong) > 0);
fOverHeating = ((Flags & ED_OverHeating) > 0);
fLowFuel = ((Flags & ED_LowFuel) > 0);
fFSDCooldown = ((Flags & ED_FSDCooldown) > 0);
fFSDCharging = ((Flags & ED_FSDCharging) > 0);
fMassLocked = ((Flags & ED_FSDMassLocked) > 0);
fSRVDriveAssist = ((Flags & ED_SRVDriveAssist) > 0);
fSRVTurretRetracted = ((Flags & ED_SRVTurretRetracted) > 0);
fSRVTurretView = ((Flags & ED_SRVTurret) > 0);
fSRVHandbrake = ((Flags & ED_SRVHandbrake) > 0);
fFuelScoop = ((Flags & ED_ScoopingFuel) > 0);
fSilentRunning = ((Flags & ED_SilentRunning) > 0);
fCargoScoop = ((Flags & ED_CargoScoopDeployed) > 0);
fLights = ((Flags & ED_LightsOn) > 0);
fInWing = ((Flags & ED_InWing) > 0);
fHardpoints = ((Flags & ED_HardpointsDeployed) > 0);
fFAOff = ((Flags & ED_FlightAssistOff) > 0);
fSupercruise = ((Flags & ED_Supercruise) > 0);
fShieldsUp = ((Flags & ED_ShieldsUp) > 0);
fLandingGear = ((Flags & ED_LandingGearDown) > 0);
fLanded = ((Flags & ED_Landed) > 0);
fDocked = ((Flags & ED_Docked) > 0);
// Print any Flags which are set to 1
printf("\x0a\ Decoded Flags");
printf("\x0a===============\x0a");
if (fSRVHiBeam) printf("SRVHiBeam\x0a");
if (fsdJump) printf("Hyperjump\x0a");
if (fAltFromAvgRad) printf("Radius-ALT\x0a");
if (fNightVision) printf("Night Vision\x0a");
if (fHUDAnalysis) printf("AnalysisHUD\x0a");
if (fSRV) printf("In SRV\x0a");
if (fFighter) printf("In Fighter\x0a");
if (fMainShip) printf("In MainShip\x0a");
if (fInterdicted) printf("Being Interdicted\x0a");
if (fDanger) printf("!!! DANGER !!!\x0a");
if (fLatLong) printf("Lat\\Lon available\x0a");
if (fOverHeating) printf("Over Heating\x0a");
if (fLowFuel) printf("Low Fuel\x0a");
if (fFSDCooldown) printf("FSD Cooldown\x0a");
if (fFSDCharging) printf("FSD Charging\x0a");
if (fMassLocked) printf("FSD Masslocked\x0a");
if (fSRVDriveAssist) printf("SRV Drive Assist\x0a");
if (fSRVTurretRetracted) printf("SRV Turret Retracted\x0a");
if (fSRVTurretView) printf("SRV Turret View\x0a");
if (fSRVHandbrake) printf("SRV Handbrake\x0a");
if (fFuelScoop) printf("Fuel Scoop Deployed\x0a");
if (fSilentRunning) printf("Silent Running\x0a");
if (fCargoScoop) printf("Cargo Scoop Deployed\x0a");
if (fLights) printf("Lights On\x0a");
if (fInWing) printf("In Wing\x0a");
if (fHardpoints) printf("Hardpoints Deployed\x0a");
if (fFAOff) printf("Flight Assist OFF\x0a");
if (fSupercruise) printf("Supercruise Engaged\x0a");
if (fShieldsUp) printf("Shields Up\x0a");
if (fLandingGear) printf("Landing Gear Deployed\x0a");
if (fLanded) printf("Landed on planet\x0a");
if (fDocked) printf("Docked\x0a");
printf("===============\x0a");
}
}
// END of fnProcessFlags()
// ===============================================================
// TOGGLE: Toggles Landing Gear
// Argument: x ... 1 = Deploy, 0 = Retract
int tgLandingGear(int x) {
fnProcessFlags(); // Get latest Flags Value first
if (!fSupercruise & !fSRV & !fLanded & !fDocked) { // Only attempt to toggle landing gear if we're not in Supercruise, in SRV, Landed or Docked
if (fLandingGear != x) { // Only DEPLOY or RETRACT if landing gear status does NOT match the action we asked for
// ie. DEPLOY only when RETRACTED and vice-versa
ActKey(PULSE+KEYON+'L'); // Change 'L' to whatever you have bound for "Landing Gear" in game.
if (!fLandingGear) { // Print the action to console...
printf("\x0a\Landing Gear DEPLOYED >>\x0a");
}
else {
printf("\x0a\Landing Gear RETRACTED <<\x0a");
}
}
else {
printf("\x0a\Landing Gear already matches state, nothing to do.\x0a");
}
}
else { // ... or, print the reason no action taken
if (fSupercruise) {
printf("\x0a\Cannot deploy landing gear whilst in supercruise\x0a\x0a");
}
if (fSRV) {
printf("\x0a\Cannot toggle landing gear whilst in SRV\x0a\x0a");
}
if (fLanded | fDocked) {
printf("\x0a\Cannot toggle landing gear when landed\x0a\x0a");
}
}
}
// ===============================================================a) - Find the line which contains 'alias StatusFile' and replace <username> with your Windows username and make sure the file path is correct.
If you are unsure of your username, first, find status.json on disk, then click the address bar...it should display the entire path to use.
b) - I use 'L' in game to toggle landing gear. If you use something different, find the following line inside the tgLandingGear() function...
Code:
ActKey(PULSE+KEYON+'L');Example if you have bound 'Joy 23', the statement will be...
Code:
ActKey(PULSE+KEYON+DX23);Step 3: - Open your current TARGET Script (usually "main.tmc") and
a) - directly underneath any "include" statements near the top of your script, add...
Code:
include "ED_StatusJson.tmh"b) - 'MapKey' any unused switch or button as follows...
(I'm using the Flaps switch on my WARTHOG Throttle for this example)
Code:
MapKey(&Throttle, FLAPD, EXEC("tgLandingGear(1);")); // DEPLOY Landing Gear
MapKeyR(&Throttle, FLAPD, EXEC("tgLandingGear(0);")); // RETRACT Landing GearStep 4: Save, Compile, Run ... fix any errors encountered, then repeat this step until no errors.
Step 5: Fire up Elite and Test
There are comments within the code to explain what each section or statement is doing.
That said, if you have any questions or suggestions etc...do let me know.
Have fun.
Cheers
Clicker
p.s. @johntarr ... you asked for it!
Last edited:
